A motor is often used in a consumer, commercial or industrial devices or systems requiring motor control or power. As just one example, a washing machine utilizes a motor for rotation of the washing tub. In such systems, a manufacturer of the system often designs the system or device and provides the specification requirements for the motor including the mounting arrangements. Such mounting arrangement specifications often include one or more mounting attachments for the motor and may include an attachment arrangement such as a mounting hub ring. Additionally, such motor system specifications may also include a distance or total length between two or more mounting attachments or hub rings. In some applications, the application specification specifies the type of hub ring attachment at each of the two opposing ends of the motor and a total hub-to-hub length.
A motor for use in such a system should comply with the system specifications including the power and torque requirements and the attachment specifications. However, while the motor must provide the required power and torque requirements and must be compatible with the physical attachment specifications, the manufacturer of the motor may vary the design of the motor. Such variations may be a result of changing motor technology, changes to the system power and torque requirements, or may be due to other motor manufacturer required or desired changes. For example, the width of the stator core of the motor may be different due to a need for increased or reduced power or torque or due to an increase in motor efficiency.
Additionally, each system manufacture or each application of the manufacture may have a different mounting arrangement and/or a different specified hub-to-hub length.
In these cases, often motor manufacturers have utilized end shields with varying lengths to adapt the total hub-to-hub length of the motor to account for varying stator core widths or hub-to-hub lengths. However, the requirement to design, manufacture, inventory, and assemble a variety of different length end shields to a variety of different length stator cores is administratively and operationally complex, and increases both the administrative and assembly cost of the motor.
As such, the inventors herein have recognized that it would be desirable for a motor to be adaptable to varying applications and mounting arrangements. The inventors recognize that it would be desirable for a motor to utilize a standard length end shield but having a predetermined hub-to-hub length that is independent of the selection of one of a variety of stator cores having various stator core widths. Additionally, it would be desirable for a motor to be adaptable to a variety of hub-to-hub lengths utilizing the standard length end shield so that the motor may be utilized in two or more systems or applications requiring two or more hub-to-hub lengths.